Movie Madness Monday: Fun 1980's Flicks

June 13, 2016
A Vintage Nerd, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog, 1980s Movies

I know some may not consider the 80's vintage and in my book its definitely does not belong in the classic film category but I wanted to bring some fun into my movie madness mondays posts for today. The 80's produced some fantastic and unique films but as funny as many of them are they always sneaked in some intense and serious moments. When I was thinking about what 80's flicks were just pure fun and no heavy stuff, I thought of these four films.

Midnight Madness is insanely fun. There is one moment between two brothers that you begin to hear the "lesson of the day" theme music playing in the background but truly 98% of this film is pure hilarity. You have the debut of Micheal J. Fox and a band of wackos running around trying to find clues in order to win this big challenge. Let's just say because of this film I still want to have to Great All-Nighter themed birthday party. Anyone want to come?

Girls Just Want to Have Fun has a very young SJP, Helen Hunt, and Shannon Doherty in it. If you are a fan of Sex in the City, you really should get acquainted with SJP's earlier work. She's amazing. This movie is just fun from beginning to end. Its sort of like Dance Fever (an 80s show about dancing) and Footloose all rolled into one but just very, very girly.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. There, I said it. Ugh-oh! Gothic princess shaking her senora with a house full of friendly ghosts. Enough said.

Lastly, Teen Witch. I mean who wasn't Louise? Who is still Louise? Smart, sweet girl who longs to have people around her take notice of how awesome she really is. It is your finest hour if you watch this film. Teen dream perfection and oodles of fun.


A Vintage Nerd, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog, 1980s Movies,  Midnight Madness

A Vintage Nerd, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog, 1980s Movies,  Girls Just Want to have fun

A Vintage Nerd, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog, 1980s Movies,  Beetlejuice

A Vintage Nerd, Classic Film Blog, Old Hollywood Blog, 1980s Movies,  Teen Witch

I love a good emotional or educational moment in a film but sometimes its just nice to sit back and not get too deep. Sometimes its just nice to have fun watching something silly and cute and these 80's selections deliver.

Have you seen any of these films? What are your favorite fun 1980's flicks?

Truths About Pinups Of Color

June 10, 2016
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blogger, Truths About Pinups of Color, Maria Montez, Women of Color in Old Hollywood

There has been a really sweet video via Buzzfeed going around the internet these past few days where Pinup Girl Clothing does makeovers on women. It is called Women of Color Were Transformed Into Pinup Models And It Was Breathtaking. Each young lady expresses how she never felt really beautiful and that they grew up not seeing many images of women of color who were glamorous or referred to as pinups.

I am a woman of color and I am here to set the record straight.

First, when people say "women of color" they mean brown, black, yellow, etc. They do not refer to women who are white. The problem with that is a massive population of Spanish speaking people from Spanish speaking countries happen to be white. So are they not Latino? Are they not a person of color? Is white suddenly not a shade of color anymore? I find this ludacris and down right ignorant.

Secondly, the ladies on the video mention that they never saw women of color per-say as pinups and I am assuming many of them were thinking of classic film actresses. Don't judge Old Hollywood based on a few popular films because there were many women of color in film. Were there a lot of roles for Asian women or Latin women or African American women? Unfortunately no. But it doesn't mean they weren't there. Actually many of them were of mixed races and cultures or their skin color just happened to be white like mine is.

Rita Hayworth always made it known that she was of Spanish descent. Technically she was half Spanish but she spoke it fluently and was even a star flamenco dancer. Did she alter her original looks in order to become more versatile and mainstream for Hollywood? Yes, she did but sadly that is still being done today. What she didn't do what deny that she was.

See, you have to look at things with a wider lens. Which leads me to my third truth. There were women dressing glamorously and as pinups in all the decades past. Women of yesteryear no matter their race wore victory rolls in the 1940's. Yes, that means Asian women wore victory rolls just like white women. Thing is there may not be a huge influx of photos to show or in many other cases families couldn't afford cameras so many time photos weren't taken. But they existed, it was real, women of color throughout the ages dressed just like white women did.

I don't know why people have to make everything about the color of their skin. When people ask me what I am or where my family is from and I say Puerto Rico, literally NO ONE believes me. NO ONE. I am not kidding you. My blood line is about as Spanish as you can get, mixed from a few different Spanish speaking places but that is who I am. My husband gets the same thing and his first language is actually Spanish.

Moral to this story-don't judge a book by its cover. Women of color should mean all sorts of colors and shades of those colors. Women of every culture and background adhered to the fashions and styles of the time. Don't back yourself in a corner and assume just because all you think you see are only white girls dressing old fashioned that there aren't women from your culture doing the same.

I am here. I have been told I look French, Moroccan, Egyptian, Italian, Greek, and the top culture is actually Jewish. Thank you but I am from none of those places. I am American born whose parents were Puerto Rican, grandparents were Puerto Rican, and great-grandparents were Peruvian Indian, Spanish, and of course, Puerto Rican. That's me. I am a woman of color and I love vintage and I have done pinup shoots and I am here. And so are many others. Take a look around, ask around, there are a lot of incredible women of all backgrounds embracing the vintage life.

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blogger, Truths About Pinups of Color, Maria Montez, Women of Color in Old Hollywood
Top: Anna May Wong, Eartha Kitt, and Lupe Velez
Middle: Rita Hayworth, Chelo Alonso, and Lena Horne
Bottom: Josephine Baker, Maria Montez, and Li Xianglan 

I think it is also important to note that I loved the video from Buzzfeed and I can relate to those beautiful young ladies. I know that dolling up especially from decades past can make anyone feel instantly feminine and glamorous in a way that modern clothing cannot. I want to say thank you to Pinup Girl Clothing for participating in the makeover and I hope all those girls keep tapping into that inner pinup inside of them all.

A Vintage Nerd Supplementary Reading:




Be Inspired: #WeAreAble Campaign

June 07, 2016
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blogger, Living with CMT, Life with a Disability,  Weareable Campaign, Nyle DiMarco

Once in a while you come across a cause that you feel you can connect to or support. I am already a big supportter of St. Jude Children's Hospital (donations help parents to have their children get cancer treatment for free) and the MDA association (also known as Jerry's Kids aka Jerry Lewis-the Muscular Dystrophy Association helps individuals like myself and families get treatment as well as support).

Last year I was surfing Hulu for a new show, something easy on the eyes and not too deep. I love my meaningful shows but I needed something with more of a guilty pleasure flare to it. I came across American Next Top Model. I haven't watched the show since its first season but for some reason I was pulled in. Next thing I knew I was rooting for a contestant by the name of Nyle DiMarco. Nyle is a gorgeous young model who also happens to be deaf. At the end of this last season of the show its Nyle that wins. To watch someone who to the rest of the world has a disability and is not supposed to participate within the hearing world win was just utterly uplifting for me. Actually it felt triumphant.

Okay, so I wasn't the one who won the contestant so why did I feel so joyful that a complete stranger won a reality show. It was simply because as I am someone who lives with a physical disability who happened to watch someone do something that no one ever expected him to do. I feel like it was a strong win for those are disabled to know that you shouldn't let anything ever hold you back, not even your disability.

But the rest of the world doesn't feel that way. As a blogger I have lost many an opportunity because of my disability. Now people haven't said it directly to my face but a girl knows something is up when you inform them of your disability or send them photos with your leg braces and suddenly the jig is up and the opportunity has suddenly dissipated.

Things are changing in this modern world but a person with a physical disability is still seen as "not the same as others", "not workable", "not a good representative to the every day person". I could go on and on.

Because of Nyle I feel even more encouraged to not let my disability stop me from being the person I want to be. It has never stopped me from being the mom I've wanted to be so I will not let it stop me from being the blogger and creative person I am. Its not to say I don't have my daily challenges but it doesn't mean that one day you won't see me on a cover of a magazine-leg braces and all.

Today I want to share with you that Nyle has teamed up with DoSomething.org to campaign against bulling among those who are disabled. I can say I was lucky that my classmates didn't bully me and for the most part didn't treat me all that different from the other kids but it doesn't mean that I didn't feel different. I think its important to know that even if someone is challenged on a physical level and may or may not be able to do certain things that it doesn't make them less of a person.

I am not less than because I have difficulties buttoning buttons or opening cans of sauce or the fact that I can no longer run or dance the way I used to. Is it frustrating? Yes. It is annoying sometimes? Yes. Do I sometimes get angry that I can't do certain things? Of course. But it doesn't mean I cannot do other things. It doesn't mean that I cannot put together a great blog post or model some terrifically stylish clothes, because I can.

The #WeAreAble  campaign that the Do Something Organization has set up hope that it brings more attention to those who are disabled and being bullied.

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blogger, Living with CMT, Life with a Disability,  Weareable Campaign, Nyle DiMarco
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blogger, Living with CMT, Life with a Disability,  Weareable Campaign, Nyle DiMarco

If you would like to show your support you can log onto the Do Something links I shared on this post and simply print out the sheet that they provide. Share with everyone what you think your best ability is and make sure you hashtag it #WeAreAble

I think my best ability is Perseverance. I don't always know how but my whole life I have just gotten on my two feet which happened to be weak and crooked and got them to go and work and get me to where I needed to be. So yeah, I think I know how to persevere.

What do you think you are good at? Join this meaningful campaign and let the world know that you stand by those who are being bullied really for just being who they are.

A big thanks to Nyle DiMarco for continuously inspiring me and reminding me that nothing really is impossible and that everything that is meant for you is there for the taking. 

Mother's Day at The Met

June 03, 2016
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger

This year's Mother's Day celebration was without a doubt a magical one. My little family outdid themselves. Its tough as you can imagine getting out and doing things with little kiddies but knowing it was mommy's day they really kicked their best behavior into high gear. That in itself was was a gift!

For my special day I got dolled up in my new Bernie Dexter dress. I figured since we were going to a museum might as well go with a theme outfit, right? Why not!

Let me just say Bernie's dresses are amazing. I mean it. They are so well made, comfy, pretty, and of course they have pockets. I am just in love with her Kelly dresses and I want them all. I think they flatter every type of figure. It also comes with the zipper at the front and a coordinating belt which I think is a great plus.

I paired up my fantastic dress with jewelry gifted to me by my husband from Kate Spade, a cardigan, headband, and a vintage purse. I love this outfit. It is now one of my favorites and look forward to wearing it again soon.

We began our day driving  into the city early in the morning and had a lovely breakfast at The Lexington Candy Shop followed by a few hours spent looking at some spectacular pieces of art via The Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can see more of both places from a recent post HERE. The Met is one of my favorite places in New York. I have been going there on my own since I was fifteen and to me its a place of good memories and boundless beauty.

We then ended our day heading back to the candy shop and having ice cream malts which the kids went bonkers for. I cannot blame them, they were so yummy. Its such a cozy and affordable place to eat in and not to mention the old fashioned ambiance. Those three things combined are heavenly to me. The children loved it so much they cannot wait to go back.

My mother's day was enjoyable from beginning to end. I'm so grateful to my family for putting so much care into my day. I also glad I am able to share my day with you as well.

A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Mom, Retro Lifestyle Blog, Bernie Dexter Art Dress, New York Fashion Blogger

Outfit: Retro Pallet Dress from Bernie Dexter, Green Cropped Cardigan from The Gap, Jewelry from Kate Spade, Handbag is Vintage

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words: Marilyn Monroe at 20

June 01, 2016
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Marilyn Monroe at 20, Marilyn Monroe, Old Hollywood Blog

Since today is what would have been Marilyn Monroe's 90th birthday I thought my picture is worth 1,000 words series should be dedicated to her. She was just so incredibly photogenic, wasn't she? And although my posts are usually spotlight one photo I couldn't resist sharing more.

These were taken by MM's then lover Andre de Dienes, a photographer, on Malibu Beach in 1946. At that time she was known as Norma Jean Dougherty (birth name was Mortenson but also known as Baker), she was newly blonde and newly divorced and had a yearning for the spotlight Hollywood could offer.

In comes Andre de Dienes who then takes a procession of photos of Marilyn. He asked her to respond physically to certain words that he would say such as sadness, joy, happiness, and death. The result was this series of photographs taken when she was just twenty years old and a Hollywood unknown.
A Vintage Nerd, Vintage Blog, Marilyn Monroe at 20, Marilyn Monroe, Old Hollywood Blog

I find her captivating in them. She seems unchanged by age and was beautiful til the very end of her life. But it wasn't just her physical self that was beautiful but rather that spirit within her that illuminated and shined brightest when in front of a cameras gaze.

Happy 90th Birthday to Norma Jean. Thank you for shining so brightly for us. If you enjoy photography here are some links to my past a picture is worth 1,000 words posts.

A Vintage Nerd Supplementary Reading:





 
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